At luna, we regularly run live polls with our community of young people to better understand how they seek health and wellbeing support. 

Our latest insights highlight a clear pattern: many teen girls want help, but barriers such as embarrassment, fear and lack of privacy are preventing them from going to traditional healthcare services.

These insights come from two live polls on the luna platform, run globally to girls and non-binary teens aged 11-18. 

What stops teen girls from seeing a doctor?

n = 2,285 votes, as of 20.02.26

• 26.21% (599): embarrassment or shame
• 21.36% (488): fear of the outcome (e.g. diagnosis)
• 18.16% (415): don’t want parent/carer to know

💡This tells us that 1 in 4 teen girls say embarrassment or shame is the single biggest barrier that stops them seeing a doctor.

Alongside polling data, daily anonymous questions submitted on the luna app add context to the emotional barriers behind these trends.

These feelings often connect to broader themes of fear of judgement, lack of anonymity and uncertainty about what will happen in an appointment e.g. whether an intimate examination will be required.

Many young people explicitly describe feeling embarrassed, worried about judgement, or unsure how to access care confidentially.

For example:

“I have a really bad smelling vagina and I think it’s from discharge, does this mean I have an infection?? I feel a bit embarrassed talking about it or going to the doctor.”

And:

“I want to see my local GP about mental health but don't want my mum knowing…I don't feel comfortable talking to my mum about mental health.”

And:

“Is there any suggestions on how to stop or to help the pain of a uti, I get one quite regularly and am to embarrassed to speak to a doctor about it.”

These anonymised questions reflect a consistent pattern we see on luna: young people are actively seeking help, but often feel too embarrassed or unsure to take the next step into formal healthcare.

Where teen girls go for health and wellbeing help

n = 2,694 votes, as of 20.02.26

• 1.93% (52): see a doctor
• 5.16% (139): NHS website
• 15.92% (429): Google
• 14.63% (394): TikTok

💡This tells us that nearly 1 in 3 teen girls (31%) turn to Google or TikTok for health help, compared with just 2% who say they would see a doctor.

The data shows a significant gap between young people’s need for support and their likelihood of accessing clinical care.

More girls report turning to Google or TikTok than to doctors for initial health and wellbeing help.

There’s a strong demand for anonymous, judgement-free spaces like the luna app, where young people can ask questions safely and find reassurance that a trip to the doctor is not so scary.

Why this matters

Young people are actively seeking answers about their health – but many are doing so outside of formal healthcare settings.

This creates both a risk and an opportunity:

• Risk, because information quality can vary widely online
• Opportunity, because early digital touch points can help build confidence and encourage appropriate help-seeking

At luna, our role is to help young people feel informed, supported and confident to access trusted care when they need it – including reassuring them that speaking to a doctor is normal, safe and not something to fear.